1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the dispensing of liquids and more particularly, this invention relates to an improved applicator device for marking, writing or dispensing a liquid on a surface.
2. Background of the Invention
Various types of liquid applicator devices have been devised for dispensing a liquid. Some of these liquid applicator devices were used for dispensing an applicator liquid for writing with ink, dye or paint. Among such devices were fountain pens, ball point pens, felt tip pens as well as other types of liquid applicator devices and the like.
These liquid applicator devices of the prior art have receiving wide acceptance due in great measure to the convenience of the device. Furthermore, these liquid applicator devices of the prior art had the ability to retain a large quantity of applicator liquid and the ability to supply additional applicator liquid from a liquid container to an applicator tip at the discretion of the user. In addition, the liquid applicator devices were not limited to the dispensing of only writing liquid such as paints, dyes and the like but are capable of dispensing a large variety of applicator liquids including chemicals, perfumes, lubricants and the like.
Continuing efforts have been made in the past to improve the design of the liquid applicator devices. The improve the design of the liquid applicator devices have concentrated on the liquid dispensing mechanism and for improving the communication of the liquid from the liquid container to the applicator tip for dispensing the applicator liquid onto a surface. In one example of a liquid applicator device, an applicator liquid flows into a fiber applicator tip only when the liquid applicator device is held upside down and the fiber applicator tip is depressed by a surface to be coated by the applicator liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,857,467 to Marsh discloses a fountain marker comprising a main reservoir adapted to contain fluid with an end wall for said reservoir having an opening therethrough. An auxiliary reservoir is arranged to receive fluid through the opening with a valve opening and closing the discharge outlet. A stem connected to the valve extends through the opening. The fluid is admitted from the main reservoir to the auxiliary reservoir when the valve is closed and is prevented from flowing from the main reservoir to the auxiliary reservoir when the valve is in an open position. A spring holds the valve closed with an applicator tip attached to the valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,024,413 to Witt discloses a fountain brush comprising an elongated hollow handle forming a liquid reservoir. A cap is secured to the forward end of the handle having an elongated frusto-conical valve seat and a closure cap on the opposite end of the handle. An elongated conical valve is received in the valve seat. An inwardly projecting stem is formed on the rear end of the valve. An outwardly projecting shank is carried by the forward end of the valve. A cross-head on the stem having an ends is slidably engaged with the inner face of the hollow handle. A contractile coil spring is disposed about the stem having one end anchored to the stem and the other end being anchored in place between the forward cap and handle. A brush-head on the shank and a conical deflector formed on the brush-head are arranged in facing relation to the valve for receiving liquid therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,210,662 to Garvey discloses a writing instrument comprising a reservoir for the writing fluid and a valve tiltable in different directions to control the discharge of fluid from the reservoir. A tiltable tip holder is united with and extends from the tiltable valve with the tiltable tip holder having an internal screw thread. A writing tip is made of a yieldable absorbent material and is screwed into the internal thread to project from the lower end of the tip holder. The writing tip is adjustable longitudinally on the screw thread in response to rotary movements of the tip independently of the tip holder. A means limits the rotary movements of the tip holder and includes a tiltable abutment carried by and tiltable with the united valve and tip holder and a fixed abutment co-operating with the tiltable abutment.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,330,053 to Herb discloses a fountain applicator comprising a fluid containing reservoir and a marking nib and means operable by pressure on the nib in excess of that required for marking therewith for forcing fluid from the reservoir to the nib.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,468,611 to Ward discloses a liquid applicator having a tubular member of flexible side wall construction. A porous applicator nib and valve means control the flow of liquid from the tubular member to the applicator nib.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,564 to Fukuoka et al. discloses an implement for applying a liquid comprising a container having an opening at a front end and a front tube attached to the container forward end. A hollow accommodating member has a chamber in an interior and formed with a rearward communication hole and a forward communication hole for holding the chamber in communication with the interior of the container and the interior of the front tube respectively. A liquid feed member is accommodated in the chamber and is movable axially thereof. A biased end valve is disposed inside the front tube to provide a liquid retaining portion inside the front tube around the end valve for closing the forward end opening of the front tube. An applicator having a capillary action extends through the forward end opening of the front tube and is secured to the front end of the end valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,923 to Ota discloses an operating member inserted in the middle cylinder to be movable backward and forward in the axial direction. A valve mechanism is provided in the front portion of the middle cylinder to supply the pinpoint with the applied liquid stored in the rear portion of the middle cylinder. The valve mechanism includes a valve seat having a valve hole with a valve spindle being provided with a valve element for opening and closing the valve hole and a stretchable member for moving the valve spindle backward and forward. The stretchable member is elongated and shortened in the axial direction of the middle cylinder as the bent portions of the bent arms are bent less and more, respectively. The operating element at the rear end of the middle cylinder is operated to move the operating member forward to push the bent portions of the bent arms to elongate the stretchable member. The valve spindle is moved backward to open the valve hole to supply the applied liquid to the pinpoint.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,859 to Assad et al. discloses a liquid applicator including a valve body for insertion into the neck of a liquid container and defining a duct in the valve body. A resilient web is formed integrally with the valve body and extends transversely across the duct. A valve seat is located on one end of the valve body. A valve member is secured to the resilient web and has a valve biased into engagement with the valve seat at the end of the valve body. A coating member is mounted on the opposite end of the valve body. A valve stem on the valve member is located proximate the coating member for being deflected when the coating member is compressed onto an external surface to thereby unseat the valve and permit liquid to flow through the duct onto the coating member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,820 to Kremer et. al. discloses an improved applicator device for applying an applicator material such as a liquid or a flowable solid to a surface. The device comprises a material container and a surface applicator for applying the applicator material to the surface. A valve is interposed between the material container and the surface applicator to permit the flow of applicator material to the surface applicator when the valve is in an open position and to inhibit the flow of applicator material to the surface applicator when the valve is in a closed position. The valve includes a valve closure having an internal closure cavity with a first end being connected to the material container and with a second end defining a surface applicator opening therein. The valve element has a distal end portion that extends through the applicator opening of the valve closure when the valve element is biased into the closed position. The surface applicator comprises the distal end portion of the valve element cooperating with the applicator opening when the distal end portion of the valve element is pressed against the surface thereby forming an annular opening for the flow of the applicator material to apply and disperse the applicator material on the surface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,820 to Kremer et. al. provided a significant step forward in the art of applicator devices.
Although the aforementioned U.S. Patents solved many of the problems of the prior art, other problems persisted in the use of liquid applicator devices of this type. A major problem in the design and the utilization of liquid applicator devices of this type involves the retention of the fiber tip in the hollow cylindrical closure of the outer subassembly. The designs generally utilized in prior art liquid applicators typically relied on retention of the fiber tip by friction, or by affixing the fiber tip onto a threaded screw extending from the applicator. These methods of affixing the fiber tip are deficient in that they tend to loosen and detach from the liquid applicator.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention is to provide an improved applicator tip for a liquid applicator device that ensures the improved applicator tip is retained within the liquid dispensing device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved applicator tip for a liquid applicator device having a retainer for preventing removal of the applicator tip from the liquid applicator device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved applicator tip for a liquid applicator device wherein the applicator tip may be utilized without altering the dispensing mechanism of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved applicator tip for a liquid applicator device which does not appreciably increase the cost of the dispensing mechanism of liquid applicator device.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The present invention is defined by the appended claims with the specific embodiments shown in the attached drawings. For the purpose of summarizing the invention, the invention may be incorporated into an apparatus comprising a liquid dispensing device for the dispensing of an applicator liquid from a container to an applicator tip of the liquid dispensing device through the depression of the applicator tip. The liquid applicator device comprises an applicator liquid container and a liquid dispensing mechanism. The device has a valve element that is movable between an open position and a closed position for controlling the flow of applicator liquid from the container. The liquid dispensing mechanism having a support portion for supporting an applicator tip. The inner end of the applicator tip communicates with the valve element for permitting the flow of the applicator liquid from the container to the inner end of the applicator tip upon an axial displacement of the applicator tip. This axial displacement moves the valve element into the open position for enabling the applicator liquid to migrate to an outer end of the applicator tip for applying the liquid to a surface. The improvement comprises a recess cooperating with a retainer for preventing removal of the applicator tip from the liquid applicator device.
In one embodiment of the invention, the recess is defined in the applicator tip with the retainer cooperating with the support portion. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the recess is defined in the support portion with the retainer cooperating with the applicator tip. In another embodiment of the invention, the recess is defined in the support portion with the retainer extending from the applicator tip. In still a further embodiment of the invention, the recess is defined in the applicator tip with the retainer extending from the support portion.
In one specific example of the invention, the recess comprises an annular recess disposed in the applicator tip. The retainer comprises a retaining ring disposed in the annular recess of the applicator tip for forming an interference fit with the support portion for preventing removal of the applicator tip from the liquid applicator device.
In another specific example of the invention, the recess comprises an annular recess disposed in proximately to the support portion. The retainer comprises a retaining ring projected from the applicator tip and located between the outer end and the inner end thereof for forming an interference fit for preventing removal of the applicator tip from the liquid applicator device.
In still another specific example of the invention, the recess comprises an annular recess disposed in the applicator tip. The retainer projects from the support portion into the annular recess for forming an interference fit for preventing removal of the applicator tip from the liquid applicator device.
In another embodiment of the invention, a shoulder is disposed on the support portion for receiving the retaining ring disposed in the annular recess of the applicator tip. In one embodiment of the invention, the applicator tip comprises a substantially flexible applicator tip and in an alternate embodiment, the applicator tip comprises a substantially rigid applicator tip. In another embodiment of the invention, the inner end of the applicator tip comprises a tapered portion for facilitating the flow of liquid to the inner end of the applicator tip.
In a more specific embodiment of the invention, the applicator tip is made from a porous material for enabling the liquid to migrate from the inner end to the outer end of the applicator tip for applying the liquid to the surface. The applicator tip is a substantially cylindrical applicator tip having a first diameter and with the annular recess having a second diameter. The annular recess is disposed between the outer end and the inner end.
In one specific embodiment of the invention, the annular recess extends along at least one-quarter of a cylindrical length of the cylindrical applicator tip. The retaining ring has an inner diameter greater than the second diameter of the annular recess and less than the first diameter of the cylindrical applicator tip enabling the retaining ring to be slidably retained within the annular recess. The retaining ring has an outer diameter greater than the first diameter of the cylindrical applicator tip for engaging a shoulder disposed on the hollow cylindrical portion. The applicator tip is thus prevented from removal from the liquid applicator device.
The retaining ring disposed in the annular recess of the applicator tip may be made of a metallic material or may be made of a polymeric material. Preferably, the applicator liquid dispensing mechanism and the valve element are comprised of a plastic material.
The improvement comprises an applicator tip having an annular recess disposed between the outer end and the inner end. A retaining ring is disposed in the annular recess of the applicator tip. The support portion has a shoulder disposed thereon for receiving the retaining ring disposed on the applicator tip. An outer assembly is securable to an inner assembly for entrapping the retaining ring disposed in the annular recess between the outer and the inner assemblies for preventing the removal of the applicator tip from the liquid applicator device.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.